Empack 2024 review: Exhibitors showcase latest strapping and sealing machinery

12 Apr 2024 --- Packaging trade show Empack in Gorinchem, the Netherlands, ended yesterday. Exhibitors presented their latest solutions, including filling machines, label technology, packaging solutions and automation processes.

Among the exhibitors was Mosca, who showcased its Sonix M-RI machine. Jeroen Bax, regional director for Benelux at Mosca, tells Packaging Insights on the show floor that the version exhibited at the event has the latest aggregates, including Sonics technology.

“It is specially designed for long products that can be strapped in several positions. Inside, it has our latest aggregates with Sonix technology, Ultrasonix. So very fast, environmentally friendly, reliable and available in all kinds of wide straps,” says Bax.

“It’s another available machine from us. It’s fast, maintenance-friendly and can work with all kinds of straps. It has no smell, which is often the case with heat-sealing. It’s the latest state-of-the-art.”

Mosca’s new Sonix M-RI machine for fast and reliable strapping.Furthermore, Mosca presented its RO-M Fusion strapping machine.

“That’s our German step-in machine. It’s a very easy machine. German machines with all the standard options inside you can operate it from two sides. It can work with 5, 8 and 12 mm PP straps,” explains Bax.

The Benelux director says the machine suits every industry, including the graphical and food industries.

Regarding customers’ possibilities with the machine, Bax says they can strap boxes, other smaller products, clothes, pharmaceutical and food products — “you can find it in all kinds of industries — every industry where you need to strap products that fit into the art, you can use the RO-M Fusion.”

Smart palletizing
Smart Robotics showcased its Smart Palletizer at the event.

Jonathan Kruisselbrink, CCO at Smart Robotics, tells us at Empack: “The smart palletizer is an interesting palletizing product, which is based on AI and can reach high capacities. It is used to make a solution, facilitate and automate logistic flows,” explains Kruisselbrink.

He says that it is a standalone product which can handle a wide range of products, even up to 30 kgs, depending on the flow of the customer.Smart Robotics’ Smart Palletizer.

Kruisselbrink says the palletizer is “smart” due to its integrated software. “Secondly, it’s the intensive knowledge on the different product groups and specialized with our own developments on the gripper to make it able to handle a wide range of products and make sure we optimize the flows of the customer.”

Smart Robotics also showcased a full production line with Netherlands-based Case Packaging Systems (CPS).

Customers often want a total solution, says Kruisselbrink. “They do not only want a standalone product like a palletizer, wrapper or filling machine. So what we did together with CPS was to make a complete line of after-production machines for our customers. In this way, they can see the process from filling to closing and palletizing the box — and in that way, we have a total solution for their requests.”

He highlights that current industry trends revolve around efficiency, avoiding labor and environmentally sustainable working conditions and products. “Those trends you see more and more. Labor scarcity and making sure you produce environmentally sustainable. I think those are the biggest trends we see at the moment.”

Latest tray sealing innovation
Ulma Packaging demonstrated its TSA 680P tray sealer, a line where the company turns a tray that is originally short-side leading to the line.

Ulma’s TSA 680P tray sealer, exhibited at Empack 2024.“We turn the trays to long-side leading for optimal line efficiency for a high output,” Roy Hofstee, Ulma’s managing director, tells Packaging Insights at the event.

“After the line, we send them back short-side leading for further purposes like check weighing and labeling to get the most efficient line possible.”

“What we use here today is a carton tray with a liner on top — a cellulose top film — to get a more sustainable corrector packaging where you can separate the two materials and put them in the respective bin. So for recyclability, it’s one of the best options available on the market.”

Hofstee explains that with this line, Ulma can run 25 cycles per minute. “Therefore, we can operate with a smaller footprint machine — the highest capacity possible in the market — providing the machine with an efficient footprint.”

“The specific line which we are demonstrating here is our fresh produce version, mainly used for fruit and vegetables, but we also have a version for the fresh food market, including meat, poultry, fish and ready meal applications.”

By Natalie Schwertheim

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